Aquarium food
Aquarium food isn't a single category the way it might look on a shelf — flakes, pellets and sticks are formulated differently and behave differently in the water, and the right choice depends on the species you keep and where they naturally feed, whether that's the surface, mid-water or the substrate.
Flakes, pellets and sticks aren't interchangeable
Flakes float and slowly settle, suiting fish that feed at the surface or mid-water, like most tropical community fish. Sinking pellets, such as King British's Goldfish Sinking Pellets, go straight to the bottom instead, which suits bottom-feeding or bottom-dwelling species, and also matters for goldfish specifically, who are prone to gulping air at the surface when fed floating food, which can contribute to swim bladder problems.
Sticks, like Tetramin's range, tend to be aimed at larger fish or specific groups such as pond fish, and often hold together longer in water than flake, which matters for species that take longer to finish feeding. Checking which format suits your actual fish, rather than buying whatever's most visible on the shelf, makes a real difference to how much food actually gets eaten rather than fouling the water.
Overfeeding is the most common mistake
Uneaten food breaks down in the tank and adds directly to ammonia and nitrate levels, which is one of the most common causes of poor water quality in home aquariums. Feeding a small amount that's fully consumed within a couple of minutes, rather than a larger amount 'to be safe', keeps both fish and water healthier.
It's worth resisting the temptation to feed more just because fish appear to beg at the glass — most aquarium fish will always act hungry regardless of how recently they were fed, and that behaviour isn't a reliable guide to how much food they actually need.
Matching food to species
A community tank with a mix of surface and mid-water feeders often does best on a general flake as the staple, with the occasional sinking food added for anything that feeds lower down. A specialist setup — goldfish, cichlids, a planted tank with algae-eating species — usually benefits from a food formulated for that group specifically rather than a generic flake alone.
Weekend or holiday feeding blocks, like Supa's Fish Food Weekend, are useful for short absences but aren't meant to replace normal daily feeding long-term — they're formulated to slow-release over a couple of days, not to be a regular part of the routine.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Large Aquarium Maintenance Set
A 48-inch condensation tray, a 22-inch glass scraper, a digital thermometer and 250ml of AquaSafe for a big tank.
£32.49
Supa Aquarium Net
Supa aquarium nets in coarse and fine meshes for fish catching and tank maintenance
From£1.65
Marina Digital Aquarium Thermometer
A digital aquarium thermometer that mounts on the outside of the glass and reads easily
£3.49
Marina Deluxe Aquarium Scraper
A four-in-one aquarium tool: two pad faces, a scraper blade and a planter fork
£8.79
Marina Floating Aquarium Thermometer
A floating aquarium thermometer with a safe-zone marker for tropical fish
£3.49
Tetra Gold Japan
Sinking dry pellets for fancy goldfish, with pack-specific label information shown clearly
From£4.56
Tetramin
Complete TetraMin flake food for ornamental fish, offered across several pack sizes
From£2.39
Tetra Goldfish Flakes
Complete goldfish flakes in several pack sizes, with a shared formula across the family
From£3.02
Tetra Pleco Spirulina Wafers
Sinking spirulina wafers for algae-grazing ornamental fish and bottom feeding
£4.30
Aquarian Tropical Fish
Complete flake food for community tropical fish, sized to suit how big your tank is
From£8.75
Supa Goldfish Flake Food
A complete goldfish flake, free from artificial flavours and preservatives
£4.09
Common questions
- How often should I feed aquarium fish?
- Once or twice a day is typical for most tropical fish, in an amount they can fully finish within a couple of minutes. Overfeeding is far more common and more harmful than underfeeding, since uneaten food breaks down and damages water quality.
- Should I use flakes or pellets for my fish?
- It depends on where your fish feed — flakes suit surface and mid-water feeders, while sinking pellets suit bottom-dwelling species and goldfish specifically, who are prone to gulping air with floating food. Check your species' natural feeding behaviour rather than picking whichever looks more familiar.
- Can I use a weekend feeding block instead of feeding normally?
- Only for short absences, such as a weekend away. These blocks are designed to slow-release food over a day or two rather than replace daily feeding as a regular routine, and shouldn't be used as an ongoing substitute.
- Why does my fish always seem hungry?
- Most aquarium fish will beg or act hungry regardless of how recently they've eaten — it isn't a reliable sign they need more food. Stick to a consistent, modest amount that's fully eaten within a couple of minutes rather than feeding in response to their behaviour.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.